


Dancing On My Own

by kinkykitsune



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Allison Argent/Scott McCall Break Up, Alpha Derek, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Werecreatures, Alternate Universe - Werewolves Are Known, Derek Hale is Bad at Feelings, Future Fic, Hurt Derek, Hurt Stiles, Multi, Oblivious Derek, Oblivious Stiles, POV Stiles, Stiles Has Panic Attacks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-26
Updated: 2018-05-26
Packaged: 2019-05-13 21:55:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14757017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kinkykitsune/pseuds/kinkykitsune
Summary: 5 time Derek sings to Stiles to explain his feelings and 1 time Stiles gets it on his own.





	1. Dancing On My Own

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sarahxcharlotte](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarahxcharlotte/gifts), [morgainehp](https://archiveofourown.org/users/morgainehp/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Wonderwall](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6884986) by [paintedrecs](https://archiveofourown.org/users/paintedrecs/pseuds/paintedrecs). 



> In this 'verse the Alphas didn't happen so Scott remained a Beta.
> 
> I do not own the rights to Teen Wolf or the music lyrics used in the writing of this story.
> 
> Thank you to my Beta, the one and only, EE aka Evil Editor and friend, Sarahxcharlotte.  
> I'm so glad that I know you. Love yo

“She left me,” Scott says to Stiles on the other end of the phone. He heaves a sigh and starts in again for the third time this week-and it’s only Tuesday. “She’s gone Stiles. Gone. Allison is gone. She left me.”

“She didn’t leave you, Scott. Stop acting like she died,” Stiles says into the receiver of the phone braced on his shoulder. They’ve been over this before, almost every day for the last six months, and at this point there's not much more for Stiles to say. But at least Stiles has gotten better at multitasking, not that he wasn’t already a master at it from being the pack’s researcher. 

Stiles is glad that Beacon Hills has calmed down in the last ten years. Hell, he’s happy that he reached the ripe young age of twenty-six. To say those last ten years were easy would be a lie, and if anyone says anything different he’d punch them in the jaw. 

College was good for all of them. It was hard to convince the pack to leave Beacon Hills, but after the last weekly big bad came through leaving most of the town in shambles and Stiles in the hospital for almost seven months there was no more secrets after that. Beacon Hills was now a hub for the supernatural. The secret was out, with or without permission from Alpha Derek Hale and all his infinite wisdom. 

College did a lot for everyone-not just for the pack, but the town too. People were packing up and shipping out left and right. The now empty real estate provided homes for anyone seeking a safe place-with permission from the resident Alpha. 

“—and when I saw her she smelled like someone new,” Scott whines into the phone.

“Shit. I’m sorry buddy,” Stiles says as he puts the spatula down on the stove. He was cooking for his date tonight, but from the sound of Scott’s puppy whimpers he was going to be on best friend duty instead. And not just himself but the pack too.

“I can’t believe she left me, Stiles. Why did she--” Scott’s choked off sobs stop him from continuing his sentence. 

“It’s okay Scottie; I’ll be there in a little bit. We’ll go out tonight to get your mind off her,” Stiles says over Scott’s broken sobs. “It’ll help; I promise.”

“But what about your date with Jason? I don’t want him to leave you like Allis--” Scott doesn’t finish as he starts crying in earnest.

“It’s okay Scott-I’ll invite him too. We’ll make it a bros night. Do it up big. You won’t even think about her,” Stiles says as he reaches over and turns the off the eye under the homemade sauce he was making for dinner. It was his mom’s recipe and he was going to surprise Jason with it tonight. They’ve been dating for about seven months and Stiles was starting to feel things for Jason that he hasn’t felt since high school. 

“I’ll be there at 8 and we’ll go to the new place on Main. I hear they have Karaoke and we can get up there and make fools of ourselves. How does that sound?”

“You sure? I don’t want to interrupt.”

“Don’t worry Scottie, it’ll be fun. Nothing will go wrong, promise!”

“Okay, if you say so.”

 

~~~~~****~~~~~

 

“You ready, Scottie? Oh buddy, oh pal?” Stiles greets Scott with a grin on his face.

“Stop that; you’re being weird.”

“Yeah? What’s wrong with my grin? I’ll have you know that I have a super great grin. The best grin ever. It’s not creepy at all like Peter’s, or you know, dopey like someone I know.”

“Ha ha very funny Stiles,” Scott says, followed by a punch in Stiles’ arm as he drives off. “So,” Scott hedges, “where’s Jason?” 

“Oh he’s going to meet us there. Don’t worry: you didn’t ruin anything.”

“Good. I know how you feel about him, especially after… you know who,” Scott says moving his eyebrows to mimic Derek’s.

Stiles barks out a sudden laugh that makes his stomach hurt. “Scott, that was years ago. I’m over it,” Stiles says as he turns left onto Main street. “Plus I was a teenager, so it wasn’t like he would have taken me seriously. Also that’s over and done with. I had my heartbroken by your Alpha at seventeen Scott; It’s not like it happened yesterday. I got over it, like, the first year of college. Sorry, by the way, I didn’t realize that I sexiled you so much that first year.”

Scott laughs at Stiles’ blushing cheeks as they drive down Main looking for parking. So much had changed since they left it that took them a while to recognize all the new businesses on the street. Especially the ones not owned by humans but other shifters that was drawn here while the pack was gone off to college. 

“It’s cool. I knew you needed to get him out of your system, and we learned the whole sock on the door knob thing. Which now that I think about it, we probably should have figured that out before I walked in on you in the kitchen with Kyle and Jasmine.

Stiles was sure that his whole body flushes at the memory of how he figured out that being the third wheel on date night is not all that bad. It definitely had its perks and college had not seemed so bad that semester. Last he’d heard Kyle and Jasmine got married, like, two semesters later and had a very very happy marriage.  
Luckily Stiles finds a parking spot not too far from the entrance of Howlers Bar and Grill. Stiles chuckles as he reads the sign again. 

“Really Scott,” he says as he points to the sign, “what do you wanna bet that the owner is a werewolf?”

“Nah, I heard the owner is a Kitsune. Someone named Kira Tamagotchi or something,” Scott replies with a shoulder shrug.

“A Kitsune? I haven’t met one yet, and I’m not saying that you’re wrong, Scottie, but something has to still be a myth,” Stiles calls over his shoulder to a trailing Scott.

“Says the person that’s dating a werebear.”

“Whatever bud, you’re just jealous. That just means he knows how to move his mouth and has really big—“

“Eh-hmm.” Someone clears their throat behind Stiles, and he whips his head back around.

“Hands! I was going to say hands. I was, I swear, Scout’s honor.” Stiles can feel the way his blush starts to creep up his neck trailing to his cheeks. He ducks his head and looks up at Jason through his eye lashes. He meets Jason’s hazel eyes and watches as his face breaks out into a wide smile. And just like that Stiles knows that he’s forgiven.

“Hey there lover.” 

Stiles reaches his arms around Jason’s waist and lays his head on Jason’s shoulder. At 6’4”, Jason stands a few inches taller than his 6 feet. It’s not much but it makes a huge difference in everything. And he means everything.

“So Scott and I have a bet going. Kitsune: fact or myth?”

Jason looks down into Stiles eyes and just laughs for a moment, the rough timber of his voice coming out as a huff before he responds with a simple, “Maybe.”

“Oh, come on! Help me out here. Please.” Stiles bats his eyelashes at him. “I’ll blow you later.”

The addition causes Jason and Scott to cough and look elsewhere. Stiles looks between the two of them and throws his head back with a laugh that shakes his whole body.

“Let’s go in before I end up saying something that Scott’s young ears shouldn’t hear.”

“Hey! I am older than you.”

“Sure you are,” Stiles replies as he grabs Jason’s hand to pull him towards the heavy wooden doors of the bar.


	2. Leave Your Lover

“Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit!” Stiles mumbles to himself, hoping that the two weres sitting next to him don’t hear. He’d looked up at the entrance from the booth they were sitting at in the back of the bar. They had just sat back down after he and Scott finished singing their third set, each song more hilarious than the last. They’d sung Afroman, Jack and Diane, and a song by Lil’ Ducky. He and Jason had been doing their best to help keep Scott’s mind off of Allison and it was working. Scott was even getting up the nerve to talk to Kira the owner, who was in fact a Kitsune. Which Stiles would count as a job well done as they served Creature Feature, a beer that was made by a pack out East that can get all supernatural creatures drunk or somewhere on the scale to being so. 

Jason looked over at him and whispered, “Is everything alright?”

Stiles is glad that Jason kept his voice down and looks over to where Scott is sending dopey eyes. He does not want Scott to look over at the door. At least not before his nose caught up with the new scents in the air. It won’t be long before he spots them and the night that he promised him goes down the drain. 

“No, not by a long shot.” Stiles nods his head in the direction of the door with a grimace. He nods again once Jason’s eyes widen when he notices Allison and the werewolf that she walked in with. It would be funny and Stiles would laugh at the way Jason’s head slowly turns back to Scott with understanding if this wasn’t an emergency.“I have to make a call.  
We’re going to need reinforcements.”

“Go. I’ll keep him occupied as long as I can,” Jason whispers into Stiles’ ear before giving him a quick kiss on the lips.

“Good luck. I’ll be right back.” Stiles speaks up as he speaks to Scott, “Yo Scott, I have to call my pops and make sure everything is okay at the Station. I haven’t heard from him in, like, two days.” Which is the truth, because even though Scott is drunk he’s still a werewolf and will hear if Stiles lies. When all Scott does is nod his head and continue to look over at the owner of Howlers, he gets up to head to be bathroom to make his call.

He sees Jason lean over to capture Scott’s attention and he tells Scott that he knows Kira. 

Stiles makes his way past the crowd and pulls out his cell. He calls the one person that he knows will come to the rescue and round up the troops and get them here fast.

“Erica!” He whisper-screams into the phone, hoping Scott can’t hear him.

“What’s up sweet stuff? Enjoying your date?”

“Yeah, that didn’t happen. Change of plans. Scott called me while I was cooking, and I can’t leave my bro hanging like that. So I had Jason meet us at Howlers”

“That’s sweet of you. Giving up sex to help Scott. So why are you calling me?

“I wouldn’t have to give anything up if he’d get over Allison, which is why I hoped this would help.”

“But I take it’s not. What happened?”

“Allison. She’s here with her new beau.”

“Oh shit!”

“Exactly! Which is why I need you to grab everyone and get down here, like, yesterday.”

“This is not my problem.”

“Erica, it’s Scott.”

He hears her pause while someone is speaking in the background. “Okay… Boyd says we will be there is five. I’ll call everyone else.”

“Love you Catwoman.”

“You’d better Batman.”

Stiles doesn’t wait to say goodbye; he just ends the call and heads back to the booth. Hopefully the table next to them will be empty by time everyone gets there. He slides into the booth next to Jason and gives his thigh a quick squeeze to let him know that everything is okay.

True to her word, Erica and Boyd are in the door five minutes later. Stiles can see the second that she catches Allison and her date’s scent, which makes it more of a miracle that Scott hasn’t noticed that she is sitting across the room. Stiles was hoping that Scott won’t notice until after everyone gets to Howlers, but luck is never on his side. It’s Erica’s arrival that brings over the two scents that causes Scott’s head to snap up and eyes flash Beta gold. 

“Hi guys,” Erica says once she reaches the table, sliding in next to Stiles as Boyd mirrors her and slides in next to Scott officially blocking his exit. Stiles is eternally grateful for Boyd’s quick understanding of situations, which has saved their lives a few times.

“What are you guys doing here?” Scott says, trying his best to look around Boyd’s bulk to get a chance to look for Allison.

“Date night! We saw you and decided to come over and sit with you guys,” Erica explains. Boyd just grunts in agreement.

“Oh, okay. That’s cool guys. Don’t want you to miss out on your date night. We’re just here to get me to stop thinking about—,” Scott looks over the where he finally located  
Allison and finishes with a sad smile, “Allison.”

Erica reaches over and pats his hand. “We know sweetie. Let us join you and have some fun. Okay?” To Boyd she says, “Honey, I’m going to get us a round. I need your card for the tab.” 

Boyd doesn’t even bat an eye; just hands Erica his wallet.

“Come with me Stiles, help carry back the drinks.” This is the reason he called Erica first and not Lydia, though he knows that Lydia will be here sooner or later knowing that Erica called the whole pack. 

After they grab a bucket of Creature Feature, two trays of tequila shots--one for weres and one for humans--and twenty-three Jell-O shots, Stiles knows that at the end of the night he was going to have to drag Scott home.

When they return to the table, Stiles notices that the booth has new occupants. Someone has pulled over the table next to them and it now sits Lydia, Jackson, and Isaac, with an empty seat that would have held Allison. Stiles could see that Scott is thinking the same thing if the sad look in his eyes is any indication.  
Stiles places a tray in front of him as he sits next down to an already seated Erica and grabs the first shot he can reach. 

“Good, there’s drinks,” Jackson says as he reaches for a Creature Feature.

Stiles doesn’t know what they we talking about while he and Erica were at the bar, but he figures whatever lie they’ve come up as a group is probably not thought out and Scott was going to catch on to it. Just as he is about to say something to the group, he looks up to see Derek standing awkwardly at the end of the table, their eyes catching in a silent battle of wills. Stiles is proud of himself because he’s mastered the art of keeping his heart under control around Derek who’s dressed in black slacks and a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up his muscular forearms. Damn he looks good! 

Erica kicks him under the table and he’s ever grateful. Stiles turns back to Jason, and if he scoots a little closer no one says anything.

“So who’s up next to sing?” Stiles says, breaking the tension at the table that Derek’s arrival brought. 

“We are,” Erica says smiling at him.

“Uh no, I’m done for the night. I am here on a date and I will sit here with said date while you go make an ass of yourself. I for one have already done so for the night. My tushie is going to sit right here. Sit right here in the booth and not move a muscle. So yeah, nope, not going happen. Right?” Stiles says the last part to Jason hoping that he will stick up for him. When Jason starts shaking with laughter Stiles knows it’s a lost cause and he finds himself on the stage singing Stop In the Name of Love with Erica, Lydia and Isaac, with the latter and he as backup dancers.

Stiles is laughing and hugging Erica around the shoulder while they make their way back to the tables when he notices someone missing. 

“Fuck! Where’s Scott?”

“What?”

“Where’s Scott?” Stiles asks the table. It takes everyone a second to take in that Scott is no longer in the booth. One by one the pack turns to look over to where Allison and her date are sitting. Stiles is the first to notice that Scott isn’t over at her table making a fool of himself. No, where he is is much worse. Scott is currently by the stage talking to the DJ about to make a fool of himself in front of the whole bar.

“Oh no! Someone do something.”

“Why? He’s just going to go sing,” Derek replies bringing the beer bottle to his lips. 

“Yeah, let him sing,” Isaac says.

“Why? Let him?” Stiles screeches. “He’s drunk and sad and Allison is sitting right over there. Which means he’s going to sing the song.” 

“Which song?”

“Huh?” 

“Which song? What’s so important about the song that Scott’s going to sing?”

Stiles takes a deep breath before explaining, “It’s something we said we were going to do in high school if we had feelings. If we had too many feelings and didn’t know how to express them out loud. That we’d sing them instead.”

“What’s the song?”

“Huh?”

“The song, Stiles?”

Stiles takes a deep breath and mumbles, “Dancing On My Own. Not the Robyn version; the other one by that British guy.”

Derek looks at him for a minute as if was trying to suss out exactly what Stiles is saying. Whatever Derek finds in Stiles eyes, Stiles doesn’t know, but it looks like Derek makes a decision. 

“You go grab him. I’ll take care of everything,” Derek says as he drinks the last dregs of his beer like he’s putting on armor to go fight a battle.

Stiles nods and goes after Scott.

“Hey buddy, whatcha’ doing?” he says once he reaches Scott. Scott turns to him with tears in the eyes, and Stiles just knows the night finally hit the low point. 

“I’m going to sing the song Stiles.”

“I know you are bud, but let’s go sit down for a bit before you do so. Think about it, okay? The pack is here, and if you want to later I’ll come up here with you and we can sing a duet. Okay?”

Stiles heart is pounding while he waits for Scott to make a decision. When Scott’s shoulder drops he knows he’s won the small victory. As they walk back to the table to take their seats, Stiles hears the soft ‘okay’ whispered by Scott.

They’re in their seats and chatting with the pack when the first chords of THE SONG starts playing. Stiles head jerks up, looking around the table for Scott before he notices the he’s still at the table. He looks up at the stage, there, and standing under the stage spot light is Derek. He has his eyes closed like he’s trying to get his bearings before stepping up to the microphone and stand. 

Just as the lines on the screen starts to move counting down the start of the song, Derek opens his eyes and looks right at Stiles’. Then he begins to sing in is a raspy, sex rumpled voice:

_“Somebody said you got a new friend  
But does she love you better than I can?" _

A hush falls over the crowd as Derek continues to sing. 

_And there's a big black sky over my town  
I know where you're at I bet she's around_

Derek is singing like his life depends on it. 

_And yeah I know it's stupid_  
But I just gotta see it for myself  
I'm in the corner  
Watching you kiss her 

Derek’s eyes catch Stiles’ like Derek is singing to him.

_And I’m right over here  
Why can’t you see me?_

Stiles heart is pounding, about to beat right out of his chest as Derek continues crooning. His voice sounds like scotch and Cuban cigars: deep, smoky, and raspy. Stiles leans forward like he’s being called by a siren’s song. 

_And I’m givin’ it my all  
But I’m not the guy you’re taking home_

Everyone in the bar can hear the way Derek is pouring out his heart into the song.

_I keep dancing on my own_  
I just wanna dance all night  
I’m all messed up, I’m so out of line 

Stiles gasps when hears the way that Derek says that line. Derek must hear him because he stills for a second and takes his eyes off of Stiles’.

Stiles sits back heavily against the booth and pulls out his phone to give himself a distraction from Derek’s singing. He’s no longer interested in helping Scott’s broken heart if all he can hear is his own breaking.

“Hey, everything alright?” Jason says as he bumps his shoulder, the warmth of Jason grounding him even if he didn’t notice that he was flying.

Stiles drops the hand that’s holding his cell phone and looks up into Jason’s eyes. “Yeah, I—we didn’t know that he could sing. We never knew.” Stiles trails off as he looks back up to the stage where Derek is watching him and Jason together. 

_But I’m not the guy you’re taking home  
And I keep dancing on my own_

If Stiles didn’t know any better, he’d say that there was a tear falling onto Derek’s cheek. Surely it’s just the lights playing tricks with Stiles’ eyes.

_So far away_  
But still so near  
The lights come on  
The music dies  
But you don’t see me standing here 

Derek holds the second to last note longer than the music would suggest, his eyes closing as he belts out the notes. There is complete silence before the bar goes into a fit once the last bit is released from Derek’s lips. Then like there is a break in the dam, everyone jumps to their feet and the applause thunders through the bar. There are a few cat calls and howls let loose too.

Stiles sees Derek nod his head in thanks as he makes his way back to their corner. 

“Hot damn, that boy is good,” Erica says to the table in general.

“Who knew he could sing?” Scott asks.

“I did.”

Everyone looks over at Isaac.

“What? I lived with him, remember? He sung all the time.”

“We all lived there at a one time or another. We’ve never heard that,” Lydia says as she points at a fast approaching Derek. 

“Yeah but I lived with him longer. I guess he was more comfortable around me,” Isaac sys with a shit-eating grin.

“Well shit, I need him to sing at our wedding Boyd; make it happen.”

“The only wedding I’m singing at is my own.”

No one notices when Derek returns to the table and sits down. Except Stiles. He always notices. Everyone starts talking at once, but Derek is back to his usual nonverbal dialogue. 

“Well who’s next after that? Scottie?” Stiles says after Erica stops pestering Derek for more information.

“Nah, I think I am okay now. Not going to be able to top that.”

Stiles turns to look at Jason, “What do you say? Care to sing with me, oh lover of mine?”

“How about no but we can go dance during intermission.” 

“Done! Let me show you my moves.”

“I’ve seen your moves, Stiles. Don’t hurt him.”

“Oh, shut it Jackson. You just wish you had moves like mine,” Stiles replies before he grabs Jason’s hand to pull him out of the booth. Well as much as he can anyway with him being a werebear and all.

They dance together during the whole intermission. The ache that Stiles felt during Derek’s song all but disappears the longer he and Jason are on the dance floor. He may or may not have elbowed Jason during his dancing, but if it did happen it was only once, so take that King Douchebag.

Panting back at the table, Stiles reaches into the bucket to grab Jason another beer and a Jell-O shot for himself when a werefox walks up to the table. 

“Excuse me, Alpha Hale, can I ask you a question?” The guy says twisting one hand in the other. When Derek doesn’t say anything, just looks at the guy, he continues, “Could you sing my song for me? I’m too nervous and after, well you know…,” the guy trails off. 

Before anyone can tell the guy to fuck off, Derek replies with a quiet “Sure.” Stiles looks around to see if anyone is going to say anything but all he sees is Lydia staring at Derek like he’s grown another head. He can see the wheels turning in her head before she stands up and walks over to the guy.

“What song were you going to sing?”

The guy jumps a bit, not noticing that she stood next to him. “Uh,” he stuttered, “St-St-Stay With Me.”

“Oh no, if Derek is going to sing Sam Smith, I’m picking the song. Come on.”

Derek stands to follow the fox and Lydia. 

Erica looks over at Boyd’s side of the table and says, “This is going to be fun!”

Stiles doesn’t think so. He doesn’t know how much more his heart can take. One song was enough. If he has to listen to Derek sing another song he may not be able to control his heartbeat. Shifting in his seat he looks over to see Jason and Scott listening to something Jackson is saying. He’s figuring he’s probably telling them about this weekend’s pack lacrosse game.

Seeing an opening, Stiles opens his mouth to suggest that they leave before Derek starts singing again. He can only take so much, and having his boyfriend here when old feelings are sprouting their ugly heads is something that Stiles does not want to deal with. Then he hears the first beats of a melody that has haunted him for a few years too many. Lydia can burn in a special type of hell.

_I don’t have much to give, but I don’t care for gold  
What use is money, when you need someone to hold?_

Stiles tries in earnest to get Jason and Scott’s attention before the song continues and everyone notices that Derek is singing again.

Or how it feels to fall behind and watch you call his name

“Yo, Scott, you ready to get out of here?”

“Not really. Kira said that she would stop back by the table.”

“When did she stop by the first time?”

“When you and Jason were dancing.”

“Oh.” 

_Set my midnight sorrow free_  
I will give you all of me  
Just leave your lover, leave him for me 

Stiles looks at Jason, the silent question in his eyes. However it’s interpreted, Jason gives him a nod and reaches to grab his jacket that over the back of the booth. They slip out of their seats, saying a quick goodbye to the table.

Stiles tries his best not to make eye contact with Derek as he leaves but he can’t help it. He chances a look back when he reaches the door, feeling Derek watch him walk away. 

_\--the rhyming of the rain  
Or how it feels to fall behind and watch you call his name_

Derek is no longer following the melody. The DJ stopped it back when Stiles stood to leave. Derek has been singing acapella the majority of the song. 

Stiles breaks eye contact when he steps out into the night. He tries to ignore the hitch he hears in Derek’s voice when the door closes. He reaches for Jason’s hand and walks back to his jeep.


	3. A Thousand Years

It’s Saturday and Stiles heads over to Derek’s for the pack meeting and weekly lacrosse game at the remodeled Hale house. They fixed it during the summer before freshman year. The pack kept badgering Derek about where he lived and that living in a loft was not good for the pack. He didn’t have any bedrooms and the pack was tired of sleeping on the floor. So that summer, Derek walked into the loft while they were lounging around after graduation and announced that he was rebuilding the Hale House. Then he announced that they were all going to help build it if they wanted a house so bad. It was the night that the house was finished that Stiles made his mom’s favorite sauce and it was there that Stiles had his heart broken. 

Everyone had a room there. That’s how the house was designed. So Stiles used to live there during breaks between semesters at UC Davis to give his dad and Melissa time to be newlyweds. It wasn’t a surprise to anyone except maybe Scott that those two got together. Hell, he even gave a box of condoms to his dad as a wedding gift and told him that he was too old to have a little brother or sister. The sputtering that followed was totally worth it when his dad told him to get out.

So yes, Stiles stayed at the house during college despite the heartbreak, but when he returned to Beacon Hills after his Masters, it didn’t feel right staying at the Hale house anymore. Not when seeing Derek could cause his heart to jump like he was still in high school.

Which is the reason why Stiles doesn’t knock when he reaches the door. He has a key. They all have keys. He also knows that the door is always unlocked. Werewolves and their hearing meant that they didn’t need to lock the door often or at all. So Stiles just opens the door that he knows is going to be unlocked and sets his keys on the front table by the door.

The rest of the pack would be there in a few as Stiles tends to get to the meetings early. Plus he has a date with Jason to make up for the one from Tuesday night. Stiles walks towards the kitchen to start getting the deck set up for the pack meeting. Stiles ignores the music, thinking someone has just left the kitchen iPod speaker on while they’re upstairs. Even Stiles has on his own basketball shorts. What he isn’t expecting is to see Derek in the kitchen putting together a vegetable tray and singing along to the iPod. 

 

_I have died every day, waiting for you  
Darling, don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years  
I'll love you for a thousand more_

 

Stiles’ words catch in his throat when he recognizes the song that Derek is singing. It must be enough to gets Derek’s attention, because he looks up at Stiles missing a few words. Though Stiles’ presence must not be enough to stop him because he goes back to singing and fixing the veggie tray like Stiles is not there. 

_I will not let anything, take away  
What's standing in front of me  
Every breath, every hour has come to this  
One step closer_

Stiles takes a step further into the kitchen but Derek just shakes his head, stopping Stiles in his tracks. He sees Derek take a deep breath before looking back up to staring at Stiles like it’s the last time that he’s going to see him and belts out 

_I have died every day, waiting for you  
Darling, don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years  
I'll love you for a thousand more_

He reaches over and hits next on the iPod. Stiles is unaware of what comes on next because he is trying to decipher what just happened between him and the broody Alpha. He must be taking too long because he has the veggie tray in his hands and an alpha shouldering past him, exiting the kitchen.

“Yo Stilinski, stop standing in the doorway like a loser,” Jackson yells behind his ear causing him to jump a bit. Luckily the veggies don’t fall over. 

Lydia comes in next and stands next to him.

“What’s wrong?”

“I think Derek’s been singing to me but I don’t know why.”

“Duh, and I thought you were the smart one,” Lydia says as she cuffs him on the back of his head. “Shh. Don’t say anything else.” Before he can start to reply, Lydia says, “Come find me when you want intelligent conversation.”

Stiles wants to ask her what she means by that but the rest of the pack is entering the kitchen so he just makes his part of the pack’s snackage.

~~~***~~~

Stiles taps out after the first round of Lacrosse and sits on the deck next to Lydia and Erica, the latter deciding not to play the first couple of rounds. Something about leaves and her hair. 

“So how’s it going with Jason?” Lydia asks when after he takes a swig of his beer. 

“It’s going great. I’m going to see him tonight,” Stiles says while looking over to the impromptu lacrosse field. They’d cleared out a few trees a couple years back to expand Derek’s back yard. It was originally done for training but then one day Jackson brought over his old lacrosse stick and now there was a lacrosse game on pack meeting days. “Did I tell you that I made my mom’s Bolognese sauce on Tuesday?”

“Wow, Stiles, that’s serious. The last time you made that…” Lydia trails off, looking out onto the field where a certain Alpha is playing sans a shirt.

“Yeah, I know.” Stiles does his best to look everywhere else but to where the pack is playing.

“Damn Stiles, you made that for Jason? Even I remember…” Erica says from her seat looking over to Stiles.

“I’m seeing him tonight after the pack meeting. I’m ready to tell him.”

Both girls look over at him surprised. They know Stiles hasn’t said the words to anyone since that summer between high school and college. They were there for the confession, the silence, and the fall out. They were there the last time he made his mom’s favorite sauce.

“You are serious.”

“Yep. So serious that I am going to tell him I love him tonight.”

Erica and Lydia share a look over Stiles’ head that he doesn’t pay attention to as he downs the rest of his beer. 

“Aye, what the fuck Derek!” Jackson yells.

“Yeah, what the fuck is your problem?” That was Boyd.

“Nothing.”

“Nothing?! Dude you broke my arm. I have a date with Kira tomorrow.”

 

When Stiles jumps up to figure out what happened, Derek turns to look at him coming off the deck before turning toward the woods and shifting.

“What happened?” Stiles asks when he reaches the guys. When no one replies he tries the question again but there is still no answer. He looks to Scott for an answer but even his best friend won’t give him one. So he yells at Derek. “Derek Hale you bring your furry ass back here and apologize to Scott.” The answering howl is not one that he’s heard before. It is broken and mournful. Just as he is about to ask what was going on the rest of the wolves throw their heads back and let out a mournful cry as well.

“Come on Stiles, let’s go clean up the deck while they go check on their Alpha,” Lydia says as she turns toward the house. 

Stiles stares after the pack running into the woods following Derek mournful howls before he follows Lydia back towards the house, picking up discarded items on the way.

“What’s their problem? Scott’s the one that got hurt.”

Lydia stops and looks at him, her gaze calculating, “Is that what you believed happened? If you honestly think that, then I would suggest you go and go get ready for your date.” She takes two steps and turns her head back over her shoulder and says, “At home.” With a flip of her hair, Stiles knows he’s dismissed.

“Fine. I know when I’m not wanted.” Stiles marches through the house and grabs his keys off of the table. If no one wants him he’ll leave. It’s not like he was the one being the dick around here-that was Sir Alpha Grumpy Pants. But nooo, Stiles is the one being dismissed and whose questions aren’t being answered. It sucked being the only human in the pack. He couldn’t smell emotions like the rest of them. He had to jump to a bunch of conclusions before backtracking to figure out everything. It’s honestly exhausting and Stiles is tired of their shit. They haven’t locked him out like this since high school. They’d finally became a pack, or at least that’s what he thought. Maybe they became a pack without him, and if he wasn’t needed while they were out gallivanting around after their Alpha then maybe he wouldn’t come back for a while. They won’t even miss him.

There are tears rolling down his face when he got into his Jeep. Hastily he wipes them away. If they wouldn’t run after him like they did Derek then they don’t deserve his tears. Stiles puts his car into reverse and leaves the Hale house. Maybe for good.


	4. A Case of You

Stiles is at home getting ready when he receives the first set of text messages.

 **From Isaac:**  
I don’t think you should come to the house for a while.

 **From Jackson:**  
Have fun on your date Stilinski

For some reason Stiles knows that the word was not said in a nice way if it’s coming from Jackson. More messages pour in before he can figure out what King Douche could mean by his message.

 **From Boyd:**  
I don’t know what the others are sending you, but it’s not what you think. It’s a pack thing.

 **From Erica:**  
I love you Batman, but things are…

He is struggling to respond, to figure out what happened, but before he can reply he gets a text from Lydia.

 **From Lydia:**  
I just read what everyone else sent you and they are all assholes. Don’t worry, love; everything is fine. Come back to the house whenever you want.  
Followed by Scott

 **From Scott:**  
I… Have fun on your date. I’ll come over tomorrow and we can play Halo or something, yeah?

“What the fuck is going on?” Stiles grabs his phone to call the pack to make sure everyone is okay. Was there some supernatural emergency where they threatened him and that’s why they were being dicks to him? If the pack wants to push him out so they can handle the problem themselves, fuck that. Stiles wants answers and he wants them now.  
“What Stiles?” a gruff voice answers. Stiles looked down to his phone and sees that he called Derek when he meant to call Scott. There is a struggle on the other end like people are fighting for the phone when he hears Lydia yell into the phone. “Sorry Stiles; gotta go. Have fun with Jas—,” Stiles figures she was trying to say Jason but she was cut off by a deep growl that ends in a whimper. Before he could ask what was going on the call ends and there’s a knock on his apartment door.  
Stiles takes a couple of deep breaths and goes to answer his front door. Jason is standing there looking nervous. Stiles greets him and steps back so that he can enter.

“Hey babe,” Stiles says as he reaches up to kiss Jason on the lips, only to stop when Jason doesn’t lean into the kiss like he normally does. Stiles takes a step back, his eyes searching Jason’s. “What’s wrong?”

“Stiles, we need to talk.”

“Okay…” Stiles says after a second and then walks over to take a seat on the couch. “What’s up?”

“I… don’t know how to say this, but it’s important.”

“It’s okay, take your time. I have something I want to say to you too.”

“You do?”

“Yeah, it’s been a long time coming but I was waiting for tonight.”

“What was it … wait before you say anything I think we sho—“

“Okay here it goes, I lov–” 

“—break up.”

“—you.”

“Wait… what!” Stiles shouts as he jumps up from the couch.

“Stiles, calm down.”

“Calm down? Calm down? I can’t calm down. I just admitted that I love you and you want to break up with me?” Stiles yells as he paces back and forth in front of Jason. “First the  
pack and now you. This day just keeps getting better.”

“That’s the reason why we should… wait what happened with the pack?”

“That’s not important. What’s important is you,” Stiles points to Jason before pointing back to himself and saying, “breaking up with me!”

“Stiles, look, it’s not a you thing, I hope you can believe me on that, but after Tuesday…”

“What happened on Tuesday?”

Jason looks at Stiles like he’s been slapped. Which is funny to Stiles because he wasn’t the breakup-ee here. 

“What happened? Stiles, you were there. Don’t tell me you didn’t notice… You… Why are you looking like that?” Jason asks when he looks over at Stiles who is trying to remember what happened on Tuesday. 

“Tuesday we took Scott out for drinks. That’s it. Oh and he met Kira, but I don’t see what that has to do with us.”

“Stiles, you really believe that was all that happened? Wow, um okay, maybe I overreacted, but I was sure there was more to it. The way that Derek was singi—”

“What does Derek’s singing have to do with us?”

“Oh love, if you don’t know then I am not going to be the one to tell you, but you need to talk to your pack,” Jason says as he stands and walk towards the door. “I am sorry, Stiles, but I can’t get in the way of mates.”

“Mates? Who Lydia and Jackson? Erica and Boyd?”

“No Stiles, you and… You know what, I am not saying anything else. Call me when you figure it out. I’d still like to be friends.” Jason opens the door but before he leaves he says,  
“Bye Stiles.”

Stiles absolutely doesn’t cry. No he doesn’t. He just simply falls to the floor where he is standing and curls into the fetal position. But there are absolutely no tears falling down his face. They do not leave salt trails and Stiles definitely does not feel his heart shatter into a million pieces. Nope, not at all. He just thinks that the floor is comfortable, that’s all. Plus he picked out a very nice carpet. He just wants to appreciate it, this carpet that he—wait, he didn’t pick out this carpet. No this nice carpet was picked by a certain grumpy pants Alpha. Stiles doesn’t dwell on that, no siree, no dwelling on expressive eyebrows and eyes that light up when they see the pack, when they see Stiles, even if there is a frown in place. Nope, no dwelling. No dwelling and no crying. Absolutely not.

 

~~~***~~~

“Stiles, you in here man?” Stiles hears someone call from the front of his apartment. It must be Scott. It’s been a few weeks since his break up with Jason and Stiles has barely left his apartment. He’s on the verge of getting fired, but luckily he can work from home so his job at the Beacon Hills Museum of Mythological Creatures and Artwork wouldn’t be lost. 

When Scott didn’t come over the next day like he said he would, Stiles just stopped answering calls and knocks that came to his door. Nothing was important anymore. The pack didn’t want him around, Jason didn’t want him, and when he went over to his dad’s he could tell that they didn’t really want him there either. Maybe it was the moping or the pitying looks that they threw his way, but he couldn’t deal with that anymore. Whatever, Stiles could take the hint. 

Stiles can hear his bedroom door open as Scott lets himself in. He just wraps the blanket burrito more around him and digs himself further under his pillow. “Go away.”

“Dude come on, the pack is worried about you.”

“Yeah right.”

“Stiles, look we just—”

“I don’t care. Leave”

“Okay that’s it.”

“You brought Lydia? That’s low Scott.”

“Me too Batman.”

Stiles groans, trying to tuck as much of his blankets around himself as possible, but he tries in vain as his nice toasty burrito is ripped from around him.

“Stiles, get up right this minute and go shower. We will be waiting in the living room,” Lydia says as she retreats, Scott and Erica following. “Oh and Stiles, if you aren’t in here in the next ten minutes, I am sending in Erica to give you a bath.”

“Oh can I do it anyway? He’s filled out; I wanna see what under all that plaid.”

“NO! I am getting up, I promise. Be right out,” Stiles says jumping up and slamming the door. He contemplates jumping out the window but he’s on the third floor. While a werewolf could make the leap Stiles is but a human.

Nine minutes later he walks out the see them sitting on the couch. “What do you want?”

At first no one speaks. Scott and Erica are both looking at Lydia. After an expressive eyebrow battle that could rival Derek’s she says, “Stiles, honey, we miss you.”

“Miss me? You guys told me not to come back.”

“That’s not what was said Stiles and you know it.”

Stiles lets out a huff and crosses his arms over his chest.

“I ran into Jason the other day. He told me what happened. I’m sorry Stiles.”

“Yeah, you and me both.”

“We came over to tell you to come to the pack meeting.”

“Yeah, we need you back on the team. Erica’s been playing and she’s vicious when you’re not there.”

Stiles laughs at that, looking over to Erica who’s just cleaning her claws with a nail file, grinning like the mad hatter.

“Yeah okay, I’ll come, but only if you guys really want me to. I don’t want any pity because Jason broke up with me.”

“Don’t worry Stiles, no one will say anything, promise.”

After that they just sit around and chat before they have to go.


	5. If I ever Fall In Love

Stiles doesn’t make it in time to play lacrosse or the meeting part of Saturday but he knows that everyone will be there when he gets there. It’s still early and no one really plans date night on Saturdays unless it’s for something important. Like Stiles telling Jason that he loves him.

So everyone is there to greet him when he walks through the front door dropping his keys next to others on the entry table. 

“Stiles!” That was Isaac, and he was coming toward Stiles fast, jumping over the puppy pile on the floor that consisted of Erica, Boyd, Scott, and Lydia who all are waving drunkenly at him. “I am so sorry for my text. I didn’t mean to make you stay away. It’s just that there was crying and I didn’t know what to do.”

“Why was there crying?”

“That’s enough Isaac,” Derek’s gruff voice says from behind Isaac making both men jump. “Go sit down.” 

Stiles watches as Isaac ducks his head to his Alpha, his eyes flashing gold to the red that’s bleeding into Derek’s. He turns his head to look at Derek to tell him that he was being mean to Isaac and it was uncalled for but the words catch in his throat.

Stiles finds himself in a staring match with Derek, neither one saying a word. He doesn’t notice that they have an audience, because Stiles is looking at Derek. There is a frown forming on Derek’s face the longer they look at each other. Stiles doesn’t know why he feels the urge to challenge the Alpha but if anyone was to ask, he’d say that he was running on instinct.

They stand there for what feels like hours but was only a few seconds before Derek looks away and tilts his head to the side just a bit before turning and walking over the pack.

“Well that was interesting,” Lydia says into her wine glass. The tension in the room breaks when Stiles starts to sputter, trying to comprehend what just went on.

Before he can form any words, Jackson walks over to him and hands him a drink. “Come on man. You look like you need this more than anyone.” 

Stiles watches Jackson join the group on the floor, leaving the chair that he usually sits empty for Stiles to take. He walks on auto pilot to the chair, his body reacting with a mind of its own. Finally seated he sees everyone looking between him and Derek. 

“Is anyone here? I knocked,” a new voice announces. 

“Kira!” Scott yells from the floor trying to get up, but he is under Erica and Boyd and they aren’t letting him up. “Come in. Move guys.”

“No, I’m comfy Scott. Alpha, make Scott stay.” 

It takes Stiles a few minutes to recognize that Erica is speaking to him.

“Alpha? I’m not your Alpha,” Stiles says slowly.

“Oh yeah you are,” Boyd replies.

Before he can say anything else someone is tapping him on his shoulder.

“Hi, I’m Kira. Jason’s friend.”

There’s a cut off growl before Derek jumps up from his seat and stalks out the room. 

“Did I say something wrong?”

“No you didn’t sweetie. Come have a seat. Jackson dear, go after our Alpha would you?” Lydia says taking control of the room. 

“Oh I brought the machine. It’s in the car,” Kira says taking a seat next to Scott’s head. She turns to Lydia and says, “Is he still?”

“Yep.”

“Oh.” To Stiles she looks up and says, “I’m glad I finally got to meet you.”

“Same,” Stiles says draining the last of his drink. “You need some help with what’s in your car?” 

“I got it,” Isaac says, walking back into the house carrying a Karaoke machine.

“Just great. I’m going to get another drink,” Stiles says just as Jackson and Derek are walking back into the living room. 

When he returns, Erica is setting up the machine to the projector system that Derek installed when the house was built. 

“Stiles, you’re up first.” Lydia says with a death glare that he doesn’t want to argue with but he does anyway.

“Aw, Lyds, you know I can’t sing.” 

“Just for that lie, I’m picking your next three songs.”

And that’s how he ends up singing ‘You Got That Something’ by Robyn, ‘Baby Got Back’ by Sir Mix-a-Lot, and ‘Back That Thang Up’ by Master P.

He was laughing hysterically when he sang the last one because Scott decide to give Kira a lap dance and it was hilarious. Stiles was glad that he came over: it’d been a while since they all laughed like this and it made him feel good. Even Derek is laughing, sitting just off the side to the group. 

When it is Jackson’s turn he pulls up Isaac, Boyd, Scott, and Erica and they sing ‘If You Wanna Be My Lover’ by the Spice Girls. When Stiles asks why he chose Erica, he says that she’s ‘Scary Spice’. That had them all laughing when Erica jumped around Boyd to tackle Jackson.

“Okay, who’s up next?” Lydia asks before pointing to Derek and continuing on, “How about you, oh mighty Alpha?”

“No.”

“Oh come on! You said that you would sing my song the next time Kira was here with the machine.”

“No.”

“It’s not really a request, Alpha,” Lydia says before sitting back down.

“Fine.” Derek says with a huff before walking to the front of the living room. “Put the damn song on.”

“If you don’t want to do it, you don’t have to.”

“I said it’s fine, Stiles.”

“Okay….” Stiles says picking up his phone. He acts like he is checking for messages, but the only people who text him are all in this room. Well except Peter, but he’s not important.

Stiles pulls up a Solitaire game and is playing that so he’s not paying attention to the song that Lydia picked for Derek to sing. It’s when someone accidentally hits his foot that he looks up from his phone to see Derek staring at him. 

_  
Oh, you're in my blood like holy wine  
You taste so bitter and so sweet.  
Oh, I could drink a case of you, darling  
And still I'd be on my feet_

 

Stiles don’t know which verse he’s on but it doesn’t matter because he is up and over the side of chair running through the kitchen. He clears the deck in a leap and runs to the woods. Tears are running down his face. He can’t do this. He’s too broken to try. He thought he was ready to face the pack, to face Derek, but he’s not. He can hear the pieces of his heart that he’d managed to put back together shattering. Stiles clutches at his chest. It’s hard to breathe. He can’t get air in or out. His feet stumble and he falls to his knees, letting out a mewling sound. There are footsteps coming up behind him but he can’t focus on that. The ache in his chest is coming too fast. His vision is blurring and he just wants to fucking breathe.

“Stiles. Stiles, look at me,” someone says. Stiles can’t really focus on who it is that is speaking but he turns his head that way. 

“That’s it. I’ve got you. You’re safe,” the voice says, placing Stiles hand on their chest. “Just breathe. Here, follow me.”

Stiles doesn’t know how long it takes for him to get his breathing under control but at least someone remembers what to do. He hasn’t had a panic attack since his sophomore year of college. 

“Thanks… Derek,” Stiles says when he finally focuses on who is helping him. “Guess you drew the short straw,” he says trying to get back on his feet so they can head back to the house. Stiles doesn’t want to be out here with Derek for longer than he has to. “Well come on then.”

“Stiles… wait.”

“What is it Derek? What could you possibly say right now that can’t wait until we get back to the house?” Stiles turns to look at Derek who has stopped walking. “Well?” When all Derek does is look down at his feet, Stiles turns back to the house. Once he reaches the backyard there is a hand on his shoulder stilling him. Stiles doesn’t say anything as he turns toward Derek, just raises his eyebrow.

“I’m sorry…”

“That’s it? You’re sorry?” Stiles throws his hands up and turns around walking closer to the house. “Very enlightening conversation Derek. Fuck this; I’m going home.”

“I’m sorry I caused your break up,” he says, which actually comes out ‘imsorryicausedyourbreakup’

“What the fuck are you talking about? Jason broke up with me cause of the pack, not just you. What’s gotten up your ass to make you think that my break up has to do with you?”

“Because…I…uh. Shit this is hard,” Derek says walking closer to where Stiles stopped.

“No it’s not, use your words.”

“What if I can’t use them? I mean say them, then what?”

“Then you find a way to make the person you want to say them to understand. It’s simple Derek. If someone’s deaf you learn sign language.”

Derek nods his head like he understands. He opens and closes his mouth a few times before taking a deep breath and belting out

_  
If I say that I could be your one and only  
Promise that you'll never leave me lonely  
I just wanna be the one you need, oh baby  
I just wanna be the one to serve you  
Sometimes I feel as if I don't deserve you  
I cherish every moment that we share_

_And if I ever/ (Ever fall)  
In love again/ (Again)  
I will be sure that the lady is a friend  
And if I ever fall  
(Ever fall)  
In love so true  
(True)  
I will be sure that the lady's just like you_

By the time Derek finishes the last note he’s standing right in front of Stiles. They are standing chest to chest. This close Stiles can tell that Derek’s eyes are gold with green and brown flakes, not the other way around. He doesn’t know who leans in first but when he feels the soft press of lips against his own, he knows Derek was right: Jason didn’t break up with him because of the pack but because of Derek, because of this. 

~~~***~~~

Stiles doesn’t know how long they stand out there kissing but the coughing and whistling coming from behind them causes Stiles to pull away from Derek’s mouth. He rests his forehead against Derek’s trying to calm his beating heart.  
“Why didn’t you ever tell me?”  
“I didn’t have the words.”   
Stiles nods and kisses Derek again. “I’m glad you found your way of saying them.”


	6. At Last

~Epilogue~

A year later

Everyone is sitting in the white chairs that are scattered around round tables in the back of the Hale house. Waiters are carrying around glasses of champagne for the humans in attendance and bottles of Creature Feature for those who are not.

Lydia, Erica, and Kira are standing near the topiary that was brought in for the occasion. They are dressed in black gowns with pale peach sashes. The color of the new Hale family crest. They are carrying bouquets of roses the same color. Across from them stands Boyd, Isaac, and Jackson, dressed in a similar fashion.

Scott is behind the camera. He’d discovered his passion for photos after getting upset about the lens flare in all the pack photos.

Stiles waits just inside the kitchen with his dad fussing over his suit and tie. 

“Stop it Stiles,” says the Sheriff, knocking Stiles’ hands down. “You are just as nervous as your mother was on our wedding day.”

“Am not.”

The Sherriff just chuckles and finishes putting on Stiles’ last cufflink.

“Okay, that does it. Let’s get you down the aisle.”

“I’m totally the bride aren’t I?”

“Yeah son, you are,” The Sheriff starts and then amends, “If you want to be. Or you can be the groom to your future husband. Your choice, but let’s get outside before a certain Alpha starts tracking you down.”

“Hey!” Stiles shouts, “That’s not supposed to happen until after the wedding.” But the Sheriff is no longer in the kitchen. 

When Stiles steps out on the deck he only has eyes for Derek who’s waiting for Stiles at the end of the aisle that splits the table. He doesn’t notice what Derek is doing until he raises a mic up to lips and sings.

_At last my love has come along  
My lonely days are over and life is like a song, oh yeah_

By the time he finishes the song, Stiles is standing in front for Derek. At last.

**Author's Note:**

> Song List:  
> Dancing On My Own - Scott Cullum Version  
> Leave Your Lover- Sam Smith  
> A Thousand Years- Christina Perri  
> A Case of You- James Blake Version  
> If I Ever Fall In Love- Shai  
> At Last- Etta James


End file.
